Cambridge Crossing (NorthPoint) | East Cambridge/Charlestown | Cambridge/Boston

[Ruairi]

Ruari, I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but with regard to:





Just because someone plunked down a bunch of residences isn't what will/won't make this 'good urbanism' either. I was only half-joking with my Crystal City reference above: there are plenty of examples of botched semi-urban attempts like that that have both residences and workplaces and still fail most/all of my Numbers 1 - 6 above.

I do agree with George Apley (and you) that mocking this by comparing it to the suburbs totally misses the point (fun as that is, and no disrespect Jeffdowntown).

The point is that this is a botched-semi-urbanism -vs- good-legit-urbanism debate, i.e., how do we avoid creating Crystal Cities; it's NOT a suburbs vs. city debate.

Finally, just look to the present-day West End for proof that merely having residences and green space isn't enough to draw people in.
I walk through Cambridge Crossing at least weekly for curiosity/exercise. There are already hundreds if not thousands of residential units within 200 meters of the park. The park is predominately used by these local residents walking their dogs. That's fine for now. But what will the rest of the build-out, ground level uses, and various access features look like? That will make or break this from a good urbanism standpoint.

Again, I have a lot of hope and am rooting for this, but all the necessary evidence simply is not here yet.

yup, I'm with you. I'm not making the argument that its an excellent (or even good) example of urbanism, I just think it's nothing like a suburban R&D park and it will be successful.
I also kind of like that it hasn't embraced the hokey aesthetic that's used in parts of Assembly.
It's hemmed in by the tracks and 28 to an extent, it'll be tricky to see if they can make that work, so far, in my opinion, they are heading in the right direction.

 

[ivyhedge]

I will present more images soon highlighting visual updates to the area.

One item of note: Tatte was announced, and will open soon (likely around March - April). Interior construction at 222 Jacobs ST (Lot JK) has been fairly obvious since November.

Also, construction on Lot U will begin on 1 June, with the Lot U parking lot closing to condo residents in late May.

 

[JeffDowntown]

OK, I will agree suburban is not fair. But it is also not urban.

I am definitely getting a Crystal City, Pentagon City, Silver Springs faux-urban kind of vibe.

BTW, that may be totally intentional by the developer, and may be what relos like Philips (from Andover) find attractive.

 

[JeffDowntown]

Just in the interest of clarity, are you talking about grounding McGrath (28 in Somerville) or updates to O'Brien (28 in Cambridge)?
There has already been a lot of work done on 28 in Cambridge, I don't think it's going to be a huge factor in how this development links to east Cambridge.
Also, the high bridge on the path isn't as high as I thought, I went down to the inner belt to take a look at the weekend, seems about as high as McGrath where it crosses the tracks.
also, heading to Cambridge crossing, there isn't a huge climb as the path is already elevated all the way through Brickbottom.

And nobody lives in suburban R&D parks.
If restrictions are lifted by Summer Cambridge crossing will come to life!

I think you need the grounding and diet of the McGrath to reduce the traffic volume on the O'Brien, so I see them as linked. The O'Brien still gives off a highway feel, and is not fun to walk along or cross.
Glad to hear the path has promise. That high bridge did not look great from photos.

 

[Charlie_mta]

You're right, let me fix that: "Crystal City is coming together nicely"

Ouch! Crystal City; there is no "there" there.

 

[ivyhedge]

OK, I will agree suburban is not fair. But it is also not urban.

I am definitely getting a Crystal City, Pentagon City, Silver Springs faux-urban kind of vibe.

BTW, that may be totally intentional by the developer, and may be what relos like Philips (from Andover) find attractive.

Hey, Jeff,

My spouse and I lived in PC for a number of years and saying that CX feels like PC is a bit of a stretch ... while some could argue that CX's lab/corporate components represent a smaller version of PC's PC Mall, Costco, etc, CX has no intention of (and no plan for) littering the area with super wide streets, a large Harris Teeter or other Costco sized businesses, or I-395 bordering our space (thankfully, Rt 28 is nothing like 395). Plus, the Common (here) is much nicer - and more of a centroid for CX - and the planned space is already feeling more intimate (a natural outgrowth of the smaller zone and the fact that we don't have a gigantic five sided building nearby with a tremendously good hot dog stand in the center ).

 

[DZH22]

I think you need the grounding and diet of the McGrath to reduce the traffic volume on the O'Brien, so I see them as linked. The O'Brien still gives off a highway feel, and is not fun to walk along or cross.
Glad to hear the path has promise. That high bridge did not look great from photos.

They turned one lane each way on the O'Brien into a bus lane, and it's a huge mess. It's especially painful at that double set of lights at the Gilmore Bridge and Museum Way. Not enough cars are able to filter through in either direction, particularly those trying to take the left onto Edwin Land Boulevard. I can't imagine what a boondoggle this will be once traffic returns to pre-Covid levels.

 

[Max Power]

The disagreements on the urbanity of this development really boil down to the location and regional context.

One the one hand, as a brownfield-type development, it's fine and we would probably all crack a smile if this were in Everett
On the other, it's impossible to ignore where this is and how the area around it has skyrocketed in demand and appeal.

Personally, I think we'll be disappointed when we look back on this, say 20 years from now. This site, being so close to north station and kendall, in between two rapid transit lines, near the river parks, should really have the trappings of, and be an extension of, the city-center. This demanded vision, not just planning

The issues are long-standing (look how old this thread is - from 2006) and are baked in due to zoning, risk/reward maximization from the developer, there only being one developer at all, etc., etc., etc. that will contribute to the site feeling bit sterile, a bit isolated, and without the intangibles that transform a group of buildings into a city.

This post isn't really meant as a repudiation of the developer, or the architecture, or even its urban form.. but instead acknowledges that the region may have missed an opportunity for something truly great, where we settled for something fine.

 

[JumboBuc]

Part of me wishes that Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville hadn't coordinated on the zoning here. I wonder what would've happened if Somerville, for example, zoned their one parcel on the site as commercial with a height limit at the FAA 1,000 foot max, and just told neighbors from Cambridge or Charlestown who objected to deal with it.

Yes, lab space can only be so tall blah, blah, blah, but plenty of the demand here is pure office.

 

[Charlie_mta]

NorthPoint and Crystal City both are starkly separated by a highway from the older city, and poorly integrated into the older city. Both developments are enclaves, which probably appeals to some people, just like gated communities do.

 

[Charlie_mta]

I would have liked NorthPoint to have been laid out as an integral part of the city, rather than as a separate enclave. I posted this years ago during the planning stage. Even if the GLX ran straight across this grid on a diagonal, the street layout still would have knit together East Cambridge and NorthPoint:

 

[chmeeee]

They turned one lane each way on the O'Brien into a bus lane, and it's a huge mess. It's especially painful at that double set of lights at the Gilmore Bridge and Museum Way. Not enough cars are able to filter through in either direction, particularly those trying to take the left onto Edwin Land Boulevard. I can't imagine what a boondoggle this will be once traffic returns to pre-Covid levels.

Those bus lanes are a temporary Green Line replacement. They should go away some time around the time the new Lechmere station opens.

 

[DZH22]

Those bus lanes are a temporary Green Line replacement. They should go away some time around the time the new Lechmere station opens.

Thank you for the information, and this is extremely relieving news! It sounds like it should go back to normal by Spring/Summer. I found the full article about the closures here:

A year-long Green Line closure is beginning this weekend. Here's what you need to know.

Say goodbye to the old Lechmere Station. Beginning on Sunday, the Green Line’s northern terminus, as well as Science Park Station, will close for approximately one year to make way […]

www.boston.com

 

[Blackbird]

I will present more images soon highlighting visual updates to the area.

One item of note: Tatte was announced, and will open soon (likely around March - April). Interior construction at 222 Jacobs ST (Lot JK) has been fairly obvious since November.

Also, construction on Lot U will begin on 1 June, with the Lot U parking lot closing to condo residents in late May.

Is it weird for me to dislike how much I like Tatte? Like “boo! You’re a big chain that caters to the wealthy” but also “Your food is so good and you’re local!”.

 

[393b40]

Is it weird for me to dislike how much I like Tatte. Like “boo! You’re a big chain that caters to the wealthy” but also “Your food is so good and you’re local!”.

Tatte makes some good stuff, but I dunno I feel like the quality has suffered over the last few years and some of their pastry stuff is kind of bland.

 

[Massachoicetts]

BitesbyBianca in Brookline. Try that guys. I went to college with her and her products are great.

 

[dshoost88]

Is it weird for me to dislike how much I like Tatte? Like “boo! You’re a big chain that caters to the wealthy” but also “Your food is so good and you’re local!”.

I relate 100% to this! Since becoming conditioned to "support locally-owned small business" (cause $.85 of every $1 spent at locally-owned business is reinvested locally vs. the inverse for chain/corporate-owned), in recent years I've adapted that line of thought to justify supporting going to chains businesses with local origins/headquarters. For example, when I go out for ice cream now I try to eat J.P. Licks (Boston-based) instead of Ben & Jerry's. Tatte or even Au Bon Pain instead of Panera. Converse, New Balance, Reebok Sneakers over Nike. Boloco instead of Chipotle. Smith & Wollensky instead of Ruth's Chris. Etc., etc.

The real loyalty to local companies test I'm facing soon is whether to get the Moderna vaccine or Pfizer?

 

[jklo]

The real loyalty to local companies test I'm facing soon is whether to get the Moderna vaccine or Pfizer?

Don't think you will be given a choice TBH.

 

[JumboBuc]

cause $.85 of every $1 spent at locally-owned business is reinvested locally vs. the inverse for chain/corporate-owned

I don't mean to get this thread off the rails, but this varies tremendously by industry and some of the "local" examples you cite aren't local in any meaningful sense (e.g., Converse is Nike, Reebok is Adidas). I'm all for prioritizing small business over big business where viable (especially in the restaurant space), but once you pass a certain point in size locality means nothing. And even beyond that, some large out-of-town businesses actually do a better job of sourcing locally than their smaller, local competitors, and plenty of large employers take better care of their employees than do smaller employers in the same industries.

 

[bigpicture7]

All of this discussion, stemming from Jeff's initial complaint, to the debate on urban/suburban, to Charlie's wonderful street grid proposal, to the chatter about Tatte, have helped synthesize a core conception of urbanism for me:

Great urban areas invite and enable ongoing discovery.

I can envision wandering through Charlie's street grid, unsure of what will be on the next block - maybe a shop I find cool, maybe a park I wasn't looking for, but "oh that looks like a great place to relax for a minute before I have to rush off." Maybe I buy a sandwich I wasn't planning to buy. Maybe I see a window sign advertising live music tonight - I wasn't planning to walk back down this street, but this sounds good, and it's been a while since I caught some live music, so I will.

Whether it's the suburbs or (as Jeff put it) a faux-urban area: there's minimal or no discovery. You don't really feel invited in, or, you can predict exactly what's down the other end of that street, so why bother checking it out. Whether its urban-dense or suburban-non-dense, it doesn't matter if you sense it's just a repeating pattern of the known, or long blank glass walls of indifference, or a cluster of Avalon-branded uber-dorms for well-paid young professionals.

When you stand at one of CX's few pedestrian inlets, your gaze actually extends quite far. It prompts you to subconsciously infer a pattern: lots of lab buildings, a bunch of apartment buildings; it gives you a confidence (false or otherwise) that you already know what all of this is. By contrast, when you gaze into a true urban street grid, you see corners and nooks and crannies and inlets and outlets and sandwich board signs on the sidewalks and colorful awnings; you think: hmm, let me get lost in here for a while. That's what a city is to me: "maybe I'll discover something new today; maybe I, personally, feel a bit lost, but here in this city, I know I'm not alone."

CX inspires no discovery for me yet. At present, it doesn't seem like it ever will. But, nonetheless, I am rooting for it to.